By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 2.5 cats
Director: David Cronenberg
Starring: Emily Hampshire | Juliette Binoche | Paul Giamatti | Robert Pattinson | Samantha Morton | Sarah Gadon
Country: canada, france, italy, portugal
Year: 2012
Running time: 109
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1480656/
Thom says: “David Cronenberg has for many years been one of my top 10 living directors and, in fact, he had eleven consecutive top-rated films with me, a feat only a handful of directors have ever achieved, but his next three: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, EASTERN PROMISES, & A DANGEROUS METHOD only received 4.5 CATS, but here he falls precipitously with this mediocre claptrap of a semi sci-fi drama. A lot of wasted actors in some story about a young billionaire traveling across Manhattan in a stretch limousine while his world is falling down around him. The usual Cronenberg touches stop the film from being a total disaster, but he’s dealt with oddball stories so brilliantly in the past (NAKED LUNCH, CRASH) that I have to question his sanity on choosing this property. The story was adapted from a Don DeLillo novel (a writer which someone I’ve always greatly admired took a class from) but he’s always left me cold as a novelist but it’s more than just that. The story had no breathing room and the obvious comparison to HOLY MOTORS fails miserably. I’m also very worried about Robert Pattinson. Quick, can anyone mention seeing a film worth discussing where he starred? I don’t understand what his career is about. I’m only praying this film is just a blip on Cronenberg’s resume that will be forgotten quickly. 2.5 cats”